If you are planning on immigrating to Canada as a permanent resident, chances are you are thinking about what kind of job you would like to secure - either before you apply or once you arrive in the country depending on your immigration program. Here, our immigration physicians in Orleans and Ottawa explain how to draft a resume for applications to the Canadian job market.
The expectations for what is included on a resume tend to be quite different depending on where you are in the world. Some places value your personal history, and how your appearance will best represent your place of work, other places care more about your qualifications or relevant work experience and discourage exploring more personal aspects of what you bring to the workplace.
Understanding what a country's laws around personal information, including what an employer is and isn't allowed to ask of you during the job application process, what kind of information a prospective employer will be looking for in your application, and the expected format of that information will all be helpful in your job search.
With that in mind, here our immigration doctors in Ottawa and Orleans are here to explain what to keep in mind as you are assembling a resume to apply for work in Canada, including what you should keep in mind, what you should include, and what you should not include.
Canadian Resumes
While there are certain things that you can consistently expect Canadian employers to look for in a resume, it's important to keep in mind that every employer will have their own preferences for the kinds of information and how it is set up on the page of a resume depending on their own personal opinions and industry standards.
If you are looking for a place to start, looking up Canadian Resume Templates on your search engine of choice will give you some helpful examples of how to set up your resume to appeal broadly to Canadian employers and, generally, to avoid common mistakes that people make in including or not-including certain information.
What To Include In A Resume for Canadian Employment
While, as stated above, there will be different expectations and preferences depending on the industry and workplace you are applying to, the following are generally good things to include on a resume for Canadian employment:
- Up-to-date Personal & Contact Information - It's important to double-check that the contact information you include on your resume is current and up-to-date. If employers don't have your contact information correct, they can't get in touch with you!
- Tailored Information Based On The Job Posting - Employers are going to be looking to make sure that you have thoroughly read the job description and understand what duties the position entails. Changing your resume to reflect the specific requirements, skills, and duties associated with a position you are applying for is expected from Canadian employers.
- Include Unpaid Work Experience - While you may be inclined to not include anything you hacen't done in a professional capacity on your resume, employers value seeing how different areas of your life contribute to your qualifications for the position. If volunteering or a long-term hobby directly contributes to your skills as related to the position, include them on your resume.
- Include Your LinkedIn Profile (if you have one) - If you have a profile on LinkedIn, including a link to this will give an employer an opportunity to look further into your experience and interests if they want. If you link to your profile, however, make sure it is up to date!
What Not To Include In A Resume for Canadian Employment
The above points are all excellent things to do on your resume, but just as important as what you should include on a resume is what you shouldn't include. The following are some general rules to keep off of any resume that you send to a Canadian employer:
- A Photograph of Yourself - Unlike in some countries, a photograph isn't required as part of your application for a job in Canada - unless you are applying within certain industries such as acting or modeling. Leave this out of any application you send to a Canadian employer.
- Excessive Personal Details - Keep the information in your resume related to the job you are applying for and your qualifications for it. Your employer doesn't need to know about your family history, your personal beliefs, your religion, or any other information of that sort. In fact, if an employer asks for any kind of information like that of you at any point during the application process for a job, they may in violation of Canadian privacy laws!
- An Inappropriate Email Address - Employers pay attention to the emails of people that are applying for a position. If your email contains words other than your first or last name, or has references to media in it, it's probably a good call to make a new email for filling out applications in professional contexts.
